[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Seongnam Cultural Foundation announced on the 7th that the first work of the newly introduced brand concert series 'Opera Garden,' "The Marriage of Figaro," will be live-streamed online without an audience from 5 p.m. on the 11th.
'Opera Garden' is a concert opera performance that maintains the opera format but minimizes stage sets, props, and costumes to focus on singing and acting. For this 'Opera Garden' series, Seongnam Cultural Foundation held an open audition for the main roles. The purpose was to discover young and talented domestic vocalists and provide them with opportunities to showcase their artistic skills through performances.
After fierce competition with up to 18:1 ratios in video and practical auditions held in January and February, the cast for all roles was decided. The performers selected through the audition include baritone Ahn Dae-hyun (Count Almaviva), soprano Jung So-young (Countess), soprano Lee Yoon-ji (Susanna), bass Jeon Tae-hyun (Figaro), mezzo-soprano Kim Bo-hye (Cherubino), mezzo-soprano Kim Soon-hee (Marcellina), bass Lee Da-sol (Bartolo), tenor Won Yoo-dae (Basilio, Don Curzio), and soprano Yoo Ji-eun (Barbarina).
Hong Seok-won, music director of the Hankyung Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct, and Camerata Antiqua Seoul, a baroque music specialist ensemble, will perform. The host of the performance will be JTBC announcer Lee Jung-heon, who will also make a cameo appearance as the gardener Antonio in the play.
The performance can be watched for free by anyone on the Seongnam Cultural Foundation’s official Naver TV channel at 5 p.m. on the 11th.
"The Marriage of Figaro" is a four-act opera completed by Mozart in 1786 and is part of the Da Ponte trilogy along with "Don Giovanni" and "Cos? fan tutte." Based on the play by playwright Pierre Beaumarchais, it was reborn as a representative comic opera (Opera Buffa) through librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte’s excellent linguistic sense and Mozart’s beautiful melodies.
The story is set in the 18th-century Count Almaviva’s mansion near Seville, Spain, and depicts a chaotic tale of love and jealousy involving the womanizing count, his wife trying to reclaim his love, the clever servant Figaro, and the beautiful and witty maid Susanna, who is about to marry Figaro. At its premiere, the opera faced interruptions due to its criticism of the aristocratic society and the abuse of power by privileged classes, portraying ordinary people fighting for love. However, with its delightful story and exquisite melodies, it is now considered one of the most beloved operas worldwide.
Seongnam Cultural Foundation plans to stage the second work in the 'Opera Garden' series, "The Barber of Seville," on August 8.
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